BYO Selections - Making the Perfect Pair
Choosing a wine to bring to dinner shouldn’t be a stressful event. With a little help from our local wine experts, we have come up with pairing ideas for just about any cuisine.
AMERICAN
Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier 2006 Red (California) $13.99
Most folks would grab a bottle of California Chardonnay, but if you really want to pair good American food with an interesting white wine, try this juicy, yet very clean blend with floral, spice and yellow fruit complexities. Look for pear, melon & apricots in this fruity, delicious white wine. Great with salads with goat cheese & nuts, ‘California-style’ shrimp pizza, crab cakes, white fish with mango salsa and more…
Joel Gott Zinfandel 2006 Red (California) $17.99
Made from a blend of top vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, Lodi and Amador, this is 96% Zinfandel, 3% Petite Sirah and 1% Alicante Bouchet. Supple, mouth filling tannins with lively acidity and elegant balance make this a natural for pairing with American meat dishes, such as short ribs, steaks and burgers. Currant, plum, sweet oak, ripe berry and spicy flavors abound.
ASIAN
Chestnut Farm Dry Crisp Asian Pear Wine (New Jersey) $13.99
This wine is estate bottled by the artisan winemakers of Chestnut Run farm. Chestnut Run's wine appellation is in New Jersey's Outer Coastal Plain. Yes, this is a wine from New Jersey. It is a dry, yet light and subtle with nuances of sweet Asian Pears. This wine is designed to pair with Sushi, Asian, Fusion, Indian, Cajun and other spicy and flavorful cuisines.
Beckmen Cuvée Le Bec 2005 Grenache Red Blend (California) $17.99
It’s not easy to pair red wines with Japanese fare actually, since classic Japanese food pairs best with sparkling, white wine or beer, but if you really want to drink red, choose something elegant & fruit-driven without oak (or with very little oak). Then you can make some good matches with plum and/or teriyaki sauces, with beef, tuna or salmon dishes. This Beckmen is insanely delicious, by the way, everyone who tries it, loves it.
FRENCH
Zind Humbrecht Pinot D’Alsace 2005 White (Alsace) $24.99
Made by Olivier Humbrecht at his family’s 400 year old biodynamic estate. This is dry, rich and clean with zesty citrus and white peach complexities and incredible mouthwatering acidity. Will be fantastic with a full range of French appetizers from duck pâté to escargots or with a classic entrée such as Dover Sole in Pernod sauce.
Louis Latour Marsannay 2005 Red (Burgundy) $19.99
Made of 100% Pinot Noir from the town of Marsannay, this is smooth, ripe and fresh with red cherry, plums, stone and mineral notes. Will pair well with all classic French red meat dishes, coq au vin or wild salmon dishes. Pinot Noir is considered to be the most versatile red grape in the world for food pairing.
ITALIAN
Maculan Pino & Toi 2006 White (Veneto) $11.99
Made from 60% Tocai, 25% Pinot Bianco and 15% Pinot Grigio this is such a great alternative to Pinot Grigio, Gavi or Orvieto Classico. Fresh, dry and aromatic, Maculan white has floral, citrus and white peach complexities and will pair well with hot or cold antipasto, salads, and seafood dishes, especially linguini with white clam sauce.
Cascina Castlet Barbera d’Asti 2006 Red (Piedmont) $16.99
For folks who prefer a lighter red, such as a Pinot Noir, Barbera is super food-friendly for pasta in red sauces, chicken, veal & fish dishes. Look for raspberry, licorice and cherry vanilla aromas & flavors in this dry, elegant, complex red. Made at a small, traditional estate which farms organically, another great pairing would be with grilled octopus!
LATIN
Basa Rueda 2006 White (Spain) $12.99
Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio lovers take notice – this is a great wine for you!!! Produced from 50% Verdejo, 40% Viura and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, and aged in tank, it is a crisp, medium-bodied, dry white offering refreshing notes of grapefruit, white currants and flowers as well as fresh, mouthwatering acidity. The Juve y Camps Brut Rosé would also be great here, we drank that at Vivas in Belmar with Serrano ham & olives and tuna vinagreta.
Juan Gil Jumilla 2005 Red (Spain) $15.99
When enjoying Latino fare, you must drink something fun from Spain! This red is made from 45-year-old Mourvedre vines and aged for 12 months in American and French oak. It is a rich, full-bodied red that is perfect for the Cab, Merlot, Shiraz or Bordeaux drinker. Look for aromas of black cherries, blueberries, licorice and pepper, with a savory, layered texture, and wonderful opulence.
Information for this article was provided by Cynthia Murray/VP Marketing/Spring Lake Bottle Shop, Spring Lake and Barbara Hay/Advertising-Marketing Director/Ocean Wine & Spirits, Ocean.
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